So I just bought a lemon tree yesterday and planted it in my back yard by my compost pile. I have a few questions about it.
Should I mulch it? and if so What kind of mulch.
is planting it by my compost a bad idea?
Should I fertalise? and if so can I do that by useing compost? Or should I buy something?
The tree id flowering will I get a lemon while its cold here or will it rot or not grow? (Its still warm here but its getting colder.)
Sorry about all the questions.

General rule of thumb on fruiting trees mulch but keep the mulch 6 inches away from the trunk of the tree and don't fertilize the first year. As for the compost pile with lemons I can't say. Did you check your ph etc first before you planted that and over fertilizing a young tree would be the concerns about planting near a compost pile. By near I assume that it will never spill over and get closer than 6" to the trunk of the tree, if it might then you should move the compost pile.
As for other specifics on growing lemons and other citrus google and go to sites that are extension or university sites like Florida.

Am I right in thinking that citrus trees will have a higher ph in their soil eventually as a result of expected fruit-drop beneath them?

I would think it an excellent idea to IF NOT toss fruit rinds from lemons under the tree, then possibly to keep a seperate mulch pile where bad fruit and lemon peels in particular are mixed into the compost.

It seems to me that most plants grown in the same place will tailor the soil to themselves with whatever falls from them

~Wolfie

Le Revanchist du Finances

There is no such thing as a "STUPID QUESTION"
~ Unless you or I fail to ask it in time...

Oh of course! But I grew up in San Diego California with a lot of citrus trees even in my own backyard. Inevitably - there were a lot of fallen fruit on the ground.

1) If you have leftover peels, the best place to put them is under the tree.
2) Unattended trees will have whole fruit and leaves drop on the ground beneath. For the trees, this is the best of all good fortune.

~Just as a pine tree will create a nest of pine needles around it's base, so too will any citrus tree. It's a pretty good indicator of what sort of soil they like

Le Revanchist du Finances

There is no such thing as a "STUPID QUESTION"
~ Unless you or I fail to ask it in time...

I luv lemon so much, I stock up on lemon juice before most anything else. In cold and flu season I like to open a lemon juice bottle and gulp it down like water. ~Sure gets the juices flowing, it's one of the more refreshing drinks to kill flu bugs. Lemon will also bring out the flavor of any tomato sauce, dish, or juice concoction. I use it in Chili, just before taking it off the stove to liven up the vegetable flavors.

The "Zest" of the peal has uses when separated from the 'white' of the peal.
(The Zest is the colored outer portion)

*A potato peeler works well to skin the zest off of oranges and lemons

It is the Zest of the lemon from which Lemon Oil is extracted. But it takes about 100 - 150 lemons to produce 1 ounce of oil....

When the Brooklyn Bridge was under construction, I remember in a documentary the comment that the water given to the workers had lemon and salt in it to replace salt sweated out in the heat, and also to prevent scurvy

Lemon and salt in water, mixed just right, tastes nearly the same as Buttermilk - just not as creamy. If you like buttermilk, you should try that

Le Revanchist du Finances

There is no such thing as a "STUPID QUESTION"
~ Unless you or I fail to ask it in time...

I'm not one really for pure lemon as a drink. Wayyy to bitter! I have to add a tad of suger when ever I'm using it as a drink.
As for the zest (yes I know what that is. ) I like to use a cheese grater. It makes it really fine and blends into foods alot better. My fav recipe is probally lemon shrimp pasta with cheese! Its also really good becuase its really filling and brings out the taste of the lemon.
Didnt know you could make oil out of lemon. Cool.
Oh yes Ive heard of the lemon salt water. Though not from a documentary... :/ I got sick once at camp and the camp nurse told me to gurgle lemon and salt water for a week for my cough. And did it work wonders! That lady should have been a docter for being able to make so many people healthy after being sick!
My dad also likes to add it to his sweet tea. But I mostly like to use it when I'm cooking. Ever had lemon cookies? I just love them!I'm still trying to recreat a resipie my teacher from school used when she brought some of hers in.
Love at first taste! Lols!